Two-Sided Cultural Fit: The Differing Behavioral Consequences of Cultural Congruence Based on Values Versus Perceptions

How do people establish and maintain cultural fit with an organization? Prior research has offered two perspectives that have heretofore been conceptually disconnected. One focuses on personal values, whereas another emphasizes perceptions of the code. We develop a theoretical account integrates these approaches by linking them to distinct mechanisms behavioral consequences fit. propose value congruence—the match between one’s values those prevail in organization—relates mechanism group attachment shapes behavior when one periodically steps back from day-to-day interactions, assesses identification organization, determines whether stay or voluntarily depart. In contrast, we argue perceptual degree which implicitly understands organization’s prevailing norms—relates interpersonal coordination influences engages routine peer interactions. Accordingly, theorize forms relate behaviors, voluntary exit linguistic conformity peers, respectively. Drawing email survey data midsized technology firm, find support for our theory discuss implications findings person-culture fit, dual-process models culture cognition, pairing surveys digital trace data. Funding: This work was supported Berkeley Culture Center, Cortese Distinguished Chair Management, Grether Business Administration Public Policy.